Two piece tenter clip



06t- 16, J c NASH TWO PIECE TENTER CLIP Filed June so, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JOHN CRANDON NASH ATTORNEY Oct. 16, 1962 J c. NASH- TWO PIECE TENTER CLIP Filed June 50, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 FIG. 4

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58 FIG. 7

FIG.6 76

L F *5\3A \57A 53A 50A INVENTOR. JOHN CRANDON NA$H ATTORNEY "llnited States Fatent 3,058,191 Patented Get. 16, 1962 ice 3,958,191 TWO PECE TENTER CLIP John Crandon Nash, Providence, 12.1., assignor to Marshall and Williams Corporation, Providence, R.I., a corporation of Rhode Island Filed June 30, 1959, Ser. No. 824,041

3 Claims. (Cl. 26-62) This invention relates to a two piece tenter clip and more particularly to a tenter clip base having means to align and secure thereto various types of tenter clip cloth holding mediums.

A tenter chain runs around sprockets located at a considerable distance from one another on the frame of a tentering machine. Between the sprockets the chain travels along an extended rail. There are two sets of rails, sprockets and chains on each tenter frame. The strip of cloth being processed is gripped along its opposite edge by the tenter clip gates and is gradually stretched sidewise as the rails diverge toward the discharge end. It is highly important that the gates as a whole be maintained in substantial alignment as they move the cloth, in order that their pull on the cloth shall be as nearly uniform as possible. If the chain is permitted to whip as it were, or if the gates are out of alignment, thus allowing relative displacement between gates, the effect on the cloth is most undesirable. With clips mounted on or attached to a roller chain, the matter of whip and alignment becomes quite a problem. This problem is magnified if a clip is made in two parts.

In processing yard goods, different types of cloth or material require different types of gripping or holding mediums.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a form of construction for a tenter clip which will enable the gripping mediums to be interchangeable on a common roller link chain without sacrificing gripping alignment or subjecting the chain to whip.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a two piece tenter clip which will reduce the initial cost of tentering machines and also reduce the cost of the tentering process.

In the past users of tentering machines found it necessary to have a plurality of tentering machines; each machine equipped with a roller chain carrying a plurality, numbering hundreds, of a different type of tenter clip from pin type to gate type with or without a controller. It was an arduous, time consuming task to replace a roller chain equipped with one type of tenter clip with another type of tenter clip. Therefore, several machines were always set up with different types of tenter clips. In most instances many tentering frames stood idle while one was placed in operation. Floor space had to be provided for idle machines.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to make a tentering machine more versatile by providing a means for quickly and easily substituting one type of tenter clip for another type of tenter clip without sacrificing aligning qualities or without creating whip inefficiency and thus eliminating the necessity of having idle tentering machines and excess floor space.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in part and be pointed out in part in the following specification and claims.

Referring to the drawings in which similar characters of reference refer to like parts:

FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of the new and improved two piece tenter clip showing a gate type pivotally mounted gripping jaw.

FIGURE 2 is a rear perspective view of the same.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the base element of the two piece tenter clip.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a pin type two piece tenter clip.

FIGURE 5 is a transverse cross sectional view taken along line 55 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a bottom plan view of the clip proper of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 7 is a bottom plan view of the clip proper of FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 8 is a transverse cross sectional view taken along line 88 of FIGURE 7.

In proceeding with this invention, a base element, generally indicated by reference character 10 is provided with the usual roller chain connecting ear-s 11, 11A and 12, 12A. It is one of the two pieces of the new and improved two piece tenter clip. A roller chain connected on either side to base element 10 comprises roller links 30, 30A and 31, 31A secured to spacing sleeves 32, 33 and 34, 35 respectively. Pintles 36, 37 pivotally connect spacing sleeves 32, 34 to connecting ears 11, 11A and 12, 12A respectively.

This assembly of roller links and spacing sleeves, is usually pivotally connected to other roller links and spacing sleeves by a pair of connecting links secured to axial pins which extend through the spacing sleeves 33, 35. In the present embodiment, the base element 10 itself it one of the connecting links.

Base element 10 is provided with a seat 40 having parallel sided guide rails 45, 46 and a tapped orifice 44 aligned with a rail engaging face 43. The guide rails 45, 46 are provided in connecting ears 11, 12, respectively, to insure transverse alignment of the superstructure with the base element. Aligning edge 41 between seat 40 and rail engaging face 43 insures proper positioning of the second piece upon the first piece in the two piece tenter clip. The lateral alignment is therefore in relation to the tentering machine rail and the transverse or sidewise alignment is in relation to the roller chain links.

The gripping element, generally indicated by reference character 50, is the second of the two pieces of the new and improved two piece tenter clip, Gripping element 50 comprises a superstructure having a horizontally disposed bottom 51 (see FIG. 7), a vertically upstanding body 52 and a pair of arms 54, 56 which project sidewise from the body to overlie the bottom (see FIGURES 1, 2, 7 and 8). Secured to the latter is a bearing plate 58 and pivota-lly mounted between the arms 54, 56 is a jaw 60 having an inserted strip 62 at its lower edge between which and the plate 58 the edge of the cloth (not shown) is gripped as the tenter chain moves along guided by a rail 64. When the tenter chain reaches a sprocket (not shown) at the delivery end of the rail 64 a suitable cam (not shown) engages an upstanding arm 68 of the pivoted jaw 60 causing the latter to swing away from plate 58 and disengage the cloth. Bottom 51 is provided with an aligning edge 53 formed in rail pads 59, 59A. Body 52 is provided with a clearance orifice 57. A bolt 25 removably secures base element 10 to superstructure 50 through clearance orifice 57 and tapped orifice 44.

A superstructure, generally indicated by reference character 50A, having a vertically upstanding body 52A, provided with a groove 71 serves as another form of gripping medium or element (see FIGURES 4, 5 and 6). A pin plate 70 is fastened in groove 71 by means of screws 33, 33A. Vertically upstand'mg body 52A is provided with a horizontally disposed bottom 51A, a rail pad 76, and a clearance orifice 57A. Horizontally disposed bottom 51A is provided with an aligning edge 53A formed in pad 76.

In operation base element 10 will be attached to and form part of a tentering machinechain. Rail engaging face 43 will abut, ride against and be guided by rail 64 forming part of the tentering machine. One of many varieties of superstructure will be selected for the tentering operation. Each superstructure will be provided with a vertically upstanding body 52, 52A, a horizontally disposed bottom 51, 51A, a clearance orifice 57, 57A and an aligning edge 53, 53A.

The superstructure 50, (50A) will be placed on base element 10 so that the horizontally disposed bottom 51, (51A) will lie upon seat 40 and aligning edges 53, (53A) will engage aligning edge 41. Guide rails 45, 46 will align the horizontally disposed bottom 51, (51A) of the superstructure 59, (53A) in one direction (transverse) and pad 59 (59A) and pad 76 will align the superstructure 50, (50A) in a second direction. Bolt 25 will removably secure the superstructure 50, (50A) to the base element 10. The pad 59, 9A (76) abutting the rail engaging face 43 prevents rearward lateral movement of said superstructure on said base element, said guide rails 45, 4-6 prevent transverse movement of said superstructure 50 (50A) on said base element 10.

It will be noted that guide rails 45, 46 guide horizontally disposed bottoms 51, 51A for lateral movement upon seat 4-0 but guide rails 45, 46 prevent sidewise or transverse movement of the superstructures 50, 50A upon base element 19.

The pin plate 71) or the pivotal jaw 69 engaging bearing plate 58 will be aligned in relation to the rail 64 through aligning edges (5-3, 53A) and 41 to insure alignment of the two piece tenter clips as they move with the cloth through the tenteriug machine.

Having shown and described preferred embodiments of the present invention, by way of example, it should be realized that structural changes could be made and other examples given without departing from either the spirit or scope of this invention.

What I claim is:

1. A two piece tentcr clip, the first piece consisting of a base element provided with a rail engaging face, upper and lower oppositely disposed roller chain connecting ears and a seat having guide rails formed in the upper connecting ears, a first aligning edge formed at the intersection of said seat and said rail engaging face, the second piece comprising a cloth holding element including a superstructure having a horizontally disposed bottom provided with a pad, a second aligning edge formed in said pad, said second piece overlying said first piece to form a two piece tenter clip, said horizontally disposed bottom engaging said seat, said first mentioned aligning edge engaging said second mentioned aligning edge, said guide rails aligning said horizontally disposed bottom in one direction and said pad abutting said rail engaging face to align said horizontally disposed bottom in a second direction in relation to said base element, said pad abutting said rail engaging face preventing rearward lateral movement of said superstructure on said base element, said guide rails preventing transverse movement of said superstructure on said base element, and means to removably secure said second piece to said first piece, whereby various types of superstructure may be utilized with said base element.

2. A two piece tenter clip, the first piece consisting of a base element provided with a rail engaging face, upper and lower oppositely disposed roller chain connecting ears, and a seat having guide rails formed in the upper connecting ears, a first aligning edge formed at the intersection of said seat and said rail engaging face, the second piece comprising a cloth holding element including a superstructure having a horizontally disposed bottom provided with a pad, a vertically upstanding body having a groove, a pin plate, means to secure said pin plate in said groove, a second aligning edge formed in said pad, said second piece overlying said first piece to form a two piece tenter clip, said horizontally disposed bottom engaging said seat, said first mentioned aligning edge engaging said second mentioned aligning edge, said guide rail aligning said horizontally disposed bot-tom in one direction and said pad abutting said rail engaging face to align said horizontally disposed bottom in a second di rection in relation to said base element, said pad abutting said rail engaging face preventing rearward lateral movement of said superstructure on said base element, said guide rails preventing transverse movement of said superstructure on said base element, and means to removably secure said second piece to said first piece, whereby various types of superstructure may be utilized with said base element.

3. A two piece tenter clip, the first piece consisting of a base element provided with a rail engaging face, upper and lower oppositely disposed roller chain connecting ears and a seat having guide rails formed in the upper connecting ears, a first aligning edge formed at the intersection of said seat and said rail engaging face, the second piece comprising a cloth holding element including a superstructure having a horizontally disposed bottom provided with a pad, a vertically upstanding body, a pair of arms projecting sidewise from said body to overlie said bottom, a bearing plate secured to said horizontally disposed bottom, a jaw pivotally mounted between said pair of arms and e-ngageable with said bearing plate to grip cloth therebetween, a second aligning edge formed in said pad, said second piece overlying said first piece to form a two piece tenter clip, said horizontally disposed bottom engaging said seat, said first mentioned aligning edge engaging said second mentioned aligning edge, said guide rails aligning said horizontally disposed bottom in one direction and said pad abutting said rail engaging face to align said horizontally disposed bottom in a second direction in relation to said base element, said pad abutting said rail engaging face preventing rearward lateral movement of said superstructure on said base element, said guide rails preventing transverse movement of said superstructure on said base element, and means to removably secure said second piece to said first piece,

whereby various types of superstructure may be utilized with said base element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,832,420 Peterson Nov. 17, 1931 1,984,377 Krug Dec. 18, 1937 2,178,892 MacKnight Nov. 7, 1939 2,472,375 Hinnekins June 7, 1949 2,799,913 Mohring et a1 July 23, i 2,878,546 Kaestner Mar. 24, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 957,460 Germany Aug. 16, 1956 2,036 Great Britain of 1896 11,434- Great Britain of 1907 18,722 Great Britain of 1914 182,174 Great Britain June 23, 1922 OTHER REFERENCES Winsor and Jerauld: Automatic Tenter Clip Bulletin, Rec. May 9, 1950, C-112, pp. 1 to 4. (Copy in Div. 21.)

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